I finally bought maternity clothes. I went to A Pea in the Pod and found several cute things. I no longer feel like a dumpy, fat lady in ill-fitting clothes. I feel like a cute pregnant lady in a new dress.

A: When we were on vacation in September, I received a call from work informing me that I was promoted to Principal. Great news!

Mitch and I were back home and walking around town when Mitch said, “How about that promotion? What next, a kid?” Before he had a chance to say “Just Kidding!,” I told him yes, I want to have a kid.

Since we didn’t get pregnant after all these years, I figured he was shooting blanks or my eggs were old. I wanted us to go see a fertility specialist to find out if we could actually have a kid. Before we had a chance to make an appointment, I had to leave town for my Grandma’s funeral.

When I was in Oregon, I wasn’t feeling well, and I was very tired. I thought I was coming down with a cold. I was so distracted with vacation, the promotion and the funeral that I wasn’t paying attention to the calendar.

I was already pregnant when Mitch and I decided to try and get pregnant.

Q: Did I have morning sickness?

A: I did, but never in the morning, which was helpful. I could still go to work and get through the day without a problem. The “morning” sickness always hit me around 5:00 p.m. and would last until around 2:00 a.m.

Getting home from work was a little rough. Riding a crowded bus with people who smell like old meat didn’t help with my car sick feeling. It definitely got worse during the last two weeks of my first trimester though. The morning sickness totally creeps up on me. One minute I’m fine, the next I’m jerking around like a chicken in full body convulsions and making the most god-awful retching sounds.

Thankfully, the morning sickness has nearly subsided. It still creeps up on me occasionally. Like last night when I was leaving the office…I was waiting on the corner of Market and Front streets trying to hail a cab with a friend. We’re having a pleasant conversation, watching cab after cab drive by, each filled with passengers. Then out of nowhere I start doing my little chicken dance, arms failing, throwing my head back and releasing the sounds of hell from my gullet while strangers scurried past me fearing I was going to projectile vomit on them. Ah, what fun. It really is a great party trick.

Q: Have you had any weird cravings?

A: Well, not really. I already like weird food combinations: Peanut butter and grape jelly sandwiches with a side of Cool Ranch Doritos and a cup of Pace Picante sauce. Top that off with a big glass of ice cold milk. YUM!

Some foods I do like taste better than they ever have before. Like avocados and cheese. Not necessarily in the same mouthful, but that wouldn’t be too bad either.

What is sad, is that I can’t eat some of my favorite foods any more. Mushrooms = gross. Fish (any kind) = absolutely vile.

The weirdest craving type thing I’ve had so far is I can tell what time it is by a single particular craving. Every night at 9:00p.m. my body SCREAMS for apple sauce. If I don’t give the belly apple sauce, the belly threatens me with the chicken dance of projectile vomiting.

One of my favorite artists, Liz McGrath, just posted some new items for sale. I really love this limited edition print, and thought it would be cute for the nursery. Mitch thinks it is way too creepy for a baby’s room.

Shelly was visiting Peru when I emailed and told her about Peanut. While she was there, she picked up an adorable little sweater for Peanut. Of course, the first thing I did was put it on Kirby. Doesn’t he look great in green?